Defining Culture Paper

GBM 480

University of Phoenix

December 13, 2008

Culture in America can be compared to other cultures as being many different cultures rolled into one. “Es ist nichts schrecklicher als eine tätige Unwissenheit” (“There is nothing more terrible than ignorance in action”) (Goethe 1805). Unlike American culture, Germany the land of poets and thinkers is a culture shared by many members of society with many outside influences but with little internal differences. “Although there are different norms of national cultures, there is a good deal of variation among individuals making up the norm” (Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan 2007). The following paper defines the term culture along with examining the elements of German culture and how they impact business practices.

Definition of Culture

There are many times when people don’t understand why a certain people do certain things but they attribute it to a culture other than their own. It is easy to “blame” something on culture. Knowing what culture is exactly is not always as easy as a person might think. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary; culture is the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education (2008). It is also defined as “the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations (Merriam-Webster 2008). Culture pertains to the activity of humans. It comes from Latin and means to cultivate. Cultures are different all over the world, different countries have different ways of life which include music, religions or beliefs, languages, traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation and the attitudes of the people in a culture.

Germany

The land of Goethe, Konrad Adenauer, Johann Strauss, Albert Einstein, Classical music, Martin Luther and the reformation along with good beer and sauerkraut, Germany has always been a contributor to the world and individual societies. As time goes on there are more and more influences on the German culture from other countries, mainly the United States and some natives say that Germany is losing its own identity.

Language

The German language, like many languages is a difficult one to learn. Depending on where a person is in the country, there are numerous dialects. Down in the south of Bavaria it is often very difficult to understand someone due to their very strong accent, while in the north along the North Sea a combination of German, English, Danish and Dutch all in one language called “Platt Deutsch”. The different dialects make up a diverse land and a diverse culture. Most Germans speak English, children begin learning English at an early age and most of the music people hear is in English. Many people do business in English when dealing with other European countries and because there are many American businesses in Germany. Kraft Jacob Succhard, the maker of Macaroni and Cheese and salad dressings, is located in Bremen and Munich and most of their business is conducted in English because the company employs workers from all over the globe and English is still the language of business in Western Europe.

Religion

Germany has had a remarkable history of religion, some good and some bad. Martin Luther, born in Germany in 1483 was the father of the reformation. He read his reformation to a crowd in the St. Ann’s church in Augsburg where his ideas were heard and taken to heart. The country of Germany is split into two main religions, the Christians and recently the Muslims. In the south of the country, most of the people are Catholic with more and more Islamic followers entering every day. After the fall of communism and the Berlin wall in 1989, Germany offered foreigners the opportunity to come into the country and live. In the north of the country, the majority of people are Lutheran. There are fewer Muslims and although there are other churches and faiths, they are very few. Having little diversity in the faith area, it is very important for Germans doing business with and in other countries must be cautious of how they act. It is in the best interest of a company who plans to go international business to educate their employees on the customs different religions and countries have. Knowing if it is okay for an employee to offer his/her hand to a customer or fellow business person is important along with many other things like having a woman in a situation where they might not be accepted while business is being conducted with Arabic men. Knowing more about different religions will help business people in the end when it comes down to “what do I do now not to offend anyone”.

Body Language

Ah, the language of the body. The authors’ first trip to Germany proved to be a very informative learning experience. While driving down a highway she was cut off by another driver and out of anger made the motion to the other driver to think about what he had done and put her hand up to her head in a gesture. Little did she know this was an insult and against the law. Minutes later she was pulled over by a police officer who had seen the whole thing and she not the man who had cut her off was presented with a ticket and a large fee. She was then told that the gesture meant that the person receiving it was crazy/mad and that it was not allowed on the “autobahn” because of past experiences of road rage. It was a hard lesson learned but gave the author the new need to learn about what was allowed and not allowed in the country.

Body language is different in every culture and what one culture finds acceptable another may find it very offensive. When sending out résumés in Germany it is acceptable to attach a photo whereas in the United States it might be considered discrimination. At a restaurant it is not polite to have your hands in your lap while eating; both hands should be on the table. Body language is important in business and where a person might think you are friendly when standing close here in Germany, you may be invading a person’s personal space in the US. It is important to know what a person can and cannot do with body language before interacting with Germans or anyone else from a foreign country.

Conclusion

The world is ever changing and as it globalizes and become smaller, it is important to understand the different elements of a country and what needs to be done not to offend the person on the receiving end. Traditions, beliefs, languages and attitudes are some of the few elements that can be taken into consideration when thinking about doing business in a foreign country. Germany progresses like any other country by staying informed about the world and people around them and coming to them. Knowledge and understanding is key to their success and the success of their ever changing culture.

References

Daniels,J., Radebaugh,L., Sullivan,D. (2007). Int,ernational Business: Environments and operations (11th ed). Retrieved December 8,2008 from the University of Phoenix eResource

Goethe, J. W. (1805). Biography of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Retrieved December 12, 2008 from: http://www.bookrags.com/Johann_Wolfgang_von_Goethe?gclid=Cl_TqZrAwZcCFcQJ3wodYiV2pA

Hooker, R (1996). World Civilizations. Martin Luther The Freedom of a Christian. Retrieved December 13,2008 from: http://wsu.edu/dee/REFORM/FREEDOM.HTM

Merriam Webster online Dictionary (2008). Culture. Retrieved December 13,2008 from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture

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